These are some of my recent contemporary realist oil paintings, painted mostly from life or imagination. I used a combination of good quality commercial oil paints and my own hand-ground oil paint made in the traditional Old Master’s method for these paintings.
Click on an image to view larger file size.
Female Nude Curled Up by Damian Osborne, oil on panel, 14 x 23 cm, 2023. Painted from a live model using my own pigments. I prefer the thicker texture and body of my own paints. $200.
Male Nude Lying on Back by Damian Osborne, oil on panel, 20 x 20 cm, 2023. This was a loose oil painting sketch of a live model, in a more immediate and impressionist style. $200.
Male Nude Seated by Damian Osborne, oil on panel, 14 x 23 cm, 2023. Another painting done from a seated model in a life drawing session. I kept the palette complementary and limited. $250.
Male Nude with House Plants and Fruit Bowl by Damian Osborne, oil on board, 43 x 60,5 cm, 2023. This painting was done from a live model, drawing directly with paint, using a combination of my own handmade pigments and good quality commercial oil paints. $300.
Prélude à l’Aprés-Midi d’un Faune, by Damian Osborne, oil on board, 43 x 60 cm, 2023. While the model was painted from life, the rest of this mythical painting was painted completely from my imagination. The title comes from the music of Debussy, one of my favourite composers. His music is like pictures made of sound. $820.
Oak Trees Beside a River in Spring by Damian Osborne, oil on linen canvas, 36 x 46 cm, 2023. A plein air painting on linen canvas that I did during Spring, when the trees had just come into bloom. The winter clouds and snow still threaten in this in-between season. $400.
Backyard Bouganvillea by Damian Osborne, oil on panel, 14 x 23 cm, 2020. Painted en plein air during the heat of Summer. The bougainvillea was blooming beautifully. $300.
The Silver Tree, oil on panel, 19 x 30 cm, Damian Osborne, 2021. A plein air painting of a beautiful garden on the edge of the forest with a young Silver Tree in the foreground. I painted this as the evening light faded over the mountains. $300
The medium is always my own traditional hand-refined linseed oil, which is far superior and faster drying than the thin heat-pressed linseed oil found in art shops.
The figure paintings are either from live models at the local life drawing class, or from imagination, or just copying myself looking in the mirror. Landscapes are from life, or imaginary.
I’ve always been fascinated with figure drawing especially in the more contemporary realist style. My recent oil paintings have become a lot freer, I feel, because I’m more used to painting or drawing from a live model, or from my imagination. I suppose, I’m a lot more confident than I used to be.
I will often use quick studies or sketches done on newsprint or in a sketchbook for an oil painting later. The narrative or scene around the figure is built up almost unconsciously and through my imagination. I don’t always know how things will turn out.
If painting from a live model, I may just paint the figure as I see it, with direct paint, wet-in-wet. But later, composition of the whole painting becomes a very important focus for me.
The Louries by Damian Osborne, oil on canvas, 30 x 30 cm, 2023. A painting of my wife looking out at the rather inquisitive and large Knysna Louries or Turacos that we have in our garden. SOLD.
The Art Lesson, oil on panel, Damian Osborne, 2022. One of my young art students diligently at work while I did a quick sketch of him which I turned into a painting. SOLD.
Please let me know if you’re interested in any of the paintings.
8 thoughts on “Recent Contemporary Realist Oil Paintings”
It is soo long since you sent an email I had forgotten about you. Old age taking over me.
But wow, you work has improved. I love the paintings of the naked woman laying in nature (that satyr puts a different twist to the painting once you notice him.)
And that young woman dressed in black seated, the two louries just outside the window, the cat watching her.
These are marvellous paintings. Perhaps you can add to your life paintings with bits of your wild nature settings. I think you have found something there and need to go in this direction.
Am pleased for you and your wife that you have moved away and are now doing your own thing. Wishing you the very best of luck. What kind of flowers are you growing? I hope they sell so well that you are encouraged to grow more.
Sorry darling, am living on a pension so if I want paintings I have to make my own.
Again, thank you for contacting me with your latest news. Much appreciated.
Thanks Tereza, nice to hear from you too. I have been focused on doing more figure paintings in natural settings actually. I haven’t sold flowers yet, just leeks and pak choi. But I’m growing all kinds of veg and flowers. Sunflowers, chrysanthemums, borage, zinnias, poppies for oil, calendulas, red salvia, pelagoniums, cosmos, marigolds, dahlias and other asters. I can’t even remember any more, there are so many types. Nasturtiums, jasmine, cornflowers, echinacea etc… All the best for 2024!
Dearest Damian, it’s sooooo great to finally hear from you.
Your work seems to have found a new freshness… a different sparkle. Your palette seems to me, to have a lighter hue . As if you had to go to the edge of something and come up anew on the other side.
Thank you for sharing your work. Be awesome. Love to both of you.
XXX♥️lella
Hi Damian,
Thank you for sharing which is so encouraging.
I’m happy for you that you have settled in such a beautiful place as Knysna.
I once again really appreciate your vision as an artist and the brilliant work you have done.
All the best to you both.
Laurence Thackwray
Thanks Laurence, I’m really glad. We’re in PE btw, not Knysna. We just happen to have the louries breeding in our garden. It’s a bird’s paradise here. Best regards, Damian.
Thanks for emailing me and sending me pictures of your beautiful paintings. Please don’t stop sending me your newsletters as I enjoy reading them. We will be buying another paining in the future. Glad you are both well and happy. You are a brilliant artist,
It is soo long since you sent an email I had forgotten about you. Old age taking over me.
But wow, you work has improved. I love the paintings of the naked woman laying in nature (that satyr puts a different twist to the painting once you notice him.)
And that young woman dressed in black seated, the two louries just outside the window, the cat watching her.
These are marvellous paintings. Perhaps you can add to your life paintings with bits of your wild nature settings. I think you have found something there and need to go in this direction.
Am pleased for you and your wife that you have moved away and are now doing your own thing. Wishing you the very best of luck. What kind of flowers are you growing? I hope they sell so well that you are encouraged to grow more.
Sorry darling, am living on a pension so if I want paintings I have to make my own.
Again, thank you for contacting me with your latest news. Much appreciated.
xxx to you and your wife.
xxxtz
Thanks Tereza, nice to hear from you too. I have been focused on doing more figure paintings in natural settings actually. I haven’t sold flowers yet, just leeks and pak choi. But I’m growing all kinds of veg and flowers. Sunflowers, chrysanthemums, borage, zinnias, poppies for oil, calendulas, red salvia, pelagoniums, cosmos, marigolds, dahlias and other asters. I can’t even remember any more, there are so many types. Nasturtiums, jasmine, cornflowers, echinacea etc… All the best for 2024!
Dearest Damian, it’s sooooo great to finally hear from you.
Your work seems to have found a new freshness… a different sparkle. Your palette seems to me, to have a lighter hue . As if you had to go to the edge of something and come up anew on the other side.
Thank you for sharing your work. Be awesome. Love to both of you.
XXX♥️lella
Wait til you see my ‘heavy’ stuff, haha. Was lovely to see you guys. Pity I missed Karl.
Hi Damian,
Thank you for sharing which is so encouraging.
I’m happy for you that you have settled in such a beautiful place as Knysna.
I once again really appreciate your vision as an artist and the brilliant work you have done.
All the best to you both.
Laurence Thackwray
Thanks Laurence, I’m really glad. We’re in PE btw, not Knysna. We just happen to have the louries breeding in our garden. It’s a bird’s paradise here. Best regards, Damian.
Dear Damain
Thanks for emailing me and sending me pictures of your beautiful paintings. Please don’t stop sending me your newsletters as I enjoy reading them. We will be buying another paining in the future. Glad you are both well and happy. You are a brilliant artist,
Love and Regards, Arlene and Kevin Newman
Thanks very much Arlene. 🙂 Have a good 2024!